External Trade - December 2016

In December 2016, according to preliminary data of external trade in goods in the national concept in current prices, the trade balance ended in a deficit of CZK 5.0 bn, which was by CZK 3.8 bn worse result, year−on−year (y−o−y).

Year−on−year, total balance in the national concept was unfavourably influenced mainly by a y−o−y decrease of surplus in 'machinery and transport equipment' (by CZK 4.0 bn) and by a deepening of deficit in 'mineral fuels' (by CZK 2.1 bn). Surplus in 'miscellaneous manufactured articles' was lower (by CZK 0.2 bn) and deficit in 'beverages and tobacco' grew (by CZK 0.1 bn). A decrease of deficit in 'chemicals and related products' and 'manufactured goods classified chiefly by material' (by CZK 0.7 bn and CZK 0.6 bn respectively) and a growth of surplus in 'crude materials' (by CZK 0.7 bn) affected the total balance positively.

In December, the trade balance with EU28 Member States ended in a surplus of CZK 33.1 bn, which was a y−o−y decrease by CZK 0.7 bn. Deficit of trade with non-EU countries increased by CZK 4.2 bn to amount to CZK 36.3 bn.

Month−on−month, the national concept seasonally adjusted exports and imports rose (both by 0.4%). The development trend shows increasing exports (+0.1%) and imports (+0.6%).

Year−on−year, the national concept exports and imports grew by 1.2% (to CZK 247.6 bn) and by 2.7% (to CZK 252.6 bn) respectively.

In 2016, the trade surplus in the national concept reached CZK 183.9 bn which represented a y−o−y increase of CZK 52.9 bn. From the beginning of the year exports went up by 1.4% while imports fell by 0.2%, y−o−y.

Detailed information on external trade in the national concept is available on website: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vzonu_ts. Preliminary data are based on the cross-border trade of residents and estimates of internal trade between residents and non-residents. These estimates will be updated next month.

 

In December 2016, according to preliminary data of the cross-border concept in current prices, exports grew by 0.7% while imports decreased by 1.8%, y−o−y.

Y−o−y, in terms of euro, exports increased by 0.7% and imports fell by 1.9%. In terms of US dollars exports and imports were lower by 2.4% and by 4.8% respectively compared to December 2015.

Total exports of goods in the cross-border concept (goods leaving the Czech Republic territory) amounted to value of CZK 305.8 bn and total imports in the cross-border concept (goods entering the Czech Republic territory) reached CZK 284.3 bn.

Total 'machinery and transport equipment' exports went up by 1.8% (CZK +3.0 bn), y−o−y. Exports increased mainly in 'road vehicles' (CZK +3.4 bn), 'electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances' (CZK +1.9 bn) and 'general industrial machinery and equipment' (CZK +1.2 bn). Exports of 'office machines, automatic data-processing machines' in particular fell (CZK −2.6 bn). Total 'machinery and transport equipment' imports were lower by 4.4% (CZK 6.3 bn), y−o−y. Imports fell mainly in 'telecommunication and sound-recording equipment' (CZK −8.7 bn) and in 'office machines, automatic data-processing machines' (CZK −3.7 bn). Imports of 'road vehicles' grew by CZK 4.5 bn. Imports of 'mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials’ rose by 4.1% (CZK +0.6 bn), y−o−y. Imports of crude petroleum went up by 53.4% in value and by 28.3% in volume. Imports of natural gas were lower by 49.6% in value and by 46.1% in volume.

In 2016 compared to 2015, the cross-border concept exports grew by 2.3% while imports fell by 0.2%. The external trade turnover went up by CZK 84.4 bn to CZK 7 444.7 bn, y−o−y.

Detailed information on external trade in cross-border concept is available on website: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vzoph_ts.
 

Notice:
Starting from January 2017 (March 9, 2017), the external trade commodity structure in the News Release will be newly published in Classification of Products CZ-CPA 2015 version.
 

 

Notes:

The national concept of external trade reflects export and import performance of the Czech economy, i.e. the external trade balance of the Czech Republic as well. It measures real trade in goods carried out between Czech and foreign entities, i.e. a change of ownership between residents and non-residents. The cross-border concept of external trade reflects only physical movements of goods across the border regardless of whether the trade between Czech and foreign entities occurs. These data are internationally comparable and can be used as indicators of development of value of the trade.

Exports and imports in the national concept are derived from adjustments of data on movement of goods across the border (cross-border concept). Goods which are moved in/from the territory of the Czech Republic by foreign entities are excluded and, on the other hand goods traded between Czech and foreign entities on the territory of the Czech Republic are taken into account. Table 5 on website: https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/vzonu_ts shows this adjustment.

The both concepts of external trade include the value of goods sent for inward or outward processing. Goods sent for processing are excluded from the value of exports and imports in the balance of payments and in the national accounts according to ESA and BPM6.

The data in the national concept are used as an input data source for the balance of the payments and the national accounts.

The published data are based on data obtained of 98.8% of companies (for goods dispatched) and 98.8% of companies (for goods arrived) obliged to report to the Intrastat system. Data for companies that failed to report (non-response) have been imputed according to dispatches and arrivals that these companies reported in the previous periods. Data for companies exempted from the reporting duty were estimated on the basis of the data given in the VAT return forms. The VAT data which are not available are extrapolated on the basis of the values in previous periods.

The data for individual months of 2015 are final; the data for individual months of 2016 are preliminary. Data of the reference month are released together with updated data of the previous three months in cross-border concept and with updated data of the last finished quarter and individual months of the reference quarter in the national concept. All data are processed from basic reporting units and subsequently rounded.

Detailed methodology information is available on website of the CZSO:

The national concept:
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/2-vzonu_m
Cross-border concept:
https://www.czso.cz/csu/czso/whatisexternal_trade

Responsible manager of the CZSO: doc. Ing. Jaroslav Sixta, Ph.D. phone (+420) 274 054 253, e-mail: jaroslav.sixta@czso.cz
Contact: Mgr. Karel Král phone (+420) 274 052 161, e-mail: karel.kral@czso.cz
Method of data collection: Intrastat forms and Single administrative documents.
Value Added Tax declaration forms
End of data collection: 20th working day after the end of the reference month
Documents available on the CZSO website: w-241013-16 External Trade of the Czech Republic –detailed breakdown (periodicity: monthly):
https://www.czso.cz/current-product/41320
External Trade Database: http://apl.czso.cz/pll/stazo/STAZO.STAZO?jazyk=EN

Next News Release: March 9, 2017

This press release was not edited for language.

Published: 07.02.2017
The data are valid as of the release date of the publication.